Queen Margrethe II of Denmark has apologized for upsetting her family members with her announcement last week that four of her grandchildren will be stripped of their royal titles, but refused to back down from her decision.
Margrethe II stressed that her decision had “been a long time coming.” She explained that the decision was rooted in her desire to allow the royals to live a normal life — “without being limited by the special considerations and duties that a formal affiliation with the Royal House of Denmark,” as the statement had it.
“Holding a royal title involves a number of commitments and duties that, in the future, will lie with fewer members of the royal family,” she said in a statement. “This adjustment, which I view as a necessary future-proofing of the monarchy, I want to take in my own time.”
The 82-year-old monarch admitted that there have been “strong reactions” to her decision, adding that they came as a surprise to her.
“As a mother and grandmother, I have underestimated the extent to which my younger son and his family feel affected. That makes a big impression, and for that I am sorry,” Margrethe II said.
In late September, the palace announced that starting from 2023, the four children of Margrethe’s youngest son, Prince Joachim, would no longer carry the titles of prince or princess and would instead be referred to as count or countess of Monpezat. The change affects Prince Nikolai (23),Prince Felix (20),Prince Henrik (13)and Princess Athena (10), who all were allowed to keep their places in the line of succession.
Members of her family voiced their chagrin regarding the decision, with Prince Joachim complaining that the family was “very sad,” and that the children felt “mistreated.” His ex-wife, Alexandra, Countess of Frederiksborg, noted her children feel “ostracized” by the queen’s decision that “took their identity away from them” and that the entire family was “saddened and in shock.”
Following the passing of Queen Elizabeth II of Britain at the age of 96, Margrethe II became the longest-serving living monarch in Europe, with over 50 years at the helm of the Danish court. She ascended the Danish throne in 1972 and is to be succeeded by her son, Crown Prince Frederik.
The Danish palace stressed that Margrethe II's decision was “in line with similar adjustments that other royal houses have made in various ways in recent years.” In 2019, King Carl XVI Gustaf of neighboring Sweden announced a similar decision to strip some his grandchildren of their royal titles.
King Charles III of Britain has also been pushing to slim down Britain’s royal family, with fewer members performing official duties or using public finances.